COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
This chapter examines the community involvement efforts of the Eagle Pass Independent School District (EPISD) in following areas:
- A. Internal and External Communications
- B. Community and Parental Involvement
A. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
The executive director of Human Resources currently serves as the district's public relations officer and information liaison with the media and the community; and receives and responds to open record requests and produces brochures, bulletins, fliers, invitations and pamphlets. The mission of the public relations department as stated in a draft plan is "to encourage frequent and open dialogue with the school and business community. To offer to co-sponsor activities that will promote the district in a positive image and to represent the district with various publics such as special interest groups and community groups, as well as the print and broadcast media. To be a positive force in all the daily activities and business of the Eagle Pass Independent School District."
Prior to 2000-01, EPISD did not follow the legal policy for open records requests and had no standard administrative procedure in place. Whoever received the request responded to it. No records of requests were kept. Beginning August 2000, requests are required to be made in writing through the Human Resources department. Records of requests are kept in the office. The director of Human Resources said 25 requests, most from employees, have been received since August 2000.
EPISD publishes an 8-page employee newsletter The Eagle Times four to five times yearly. The Eagle Times contains news of activities in the district, a message from the superintendent and a summary of board actions. This publication is delivered to the schools for distribution to employees, and copies are made available at the local HEB grocery, local banks and local churches for community members.
Additional EPISD publications include the Annual Report, EPISD Progress Report, several tri-fold brochures and school newsletters. The Annual Report is a 20-page booklet containing facts and accomplishments of the district from the preceding school year. EPISD provides copies of the Annual Report at all district locations, the Chamber of Commerce, and area businesses.
The EPISD Progress Report is published yearly as a tri-fold brochure and mailed with the yearly tax statement to all addresses in the district. The EPISD Progress Report includes TAAS information, the number of EPISD employees by category, a summary of the district revenues and the projects to be completed with bond money.
Several tri-fold brochures describing services and programs offered in EPISD are published by various departments in the district including Special Education, Migrant Education, Parent Education and Parenting Program, and Career and Technology Education. These publications are available in the respective departments and are provided to parents at the various parent meetings throughout the district.
Hi-Light, a student newsletter published by the journalism classes at Eagle Pass High School-C.C. Winn Campus is distributed on campus monthly. Each elementary school sends a monthly newsletter to parents via the students.
FINDING
EPISD does not consistently disseminate information about district and board activities to all residents of the school district. Many articles in a local newspaper have a negative tone. Parents stated that, although the individual schools do a good job of disseminating news about specific campus activities, the district does not do a good job of communicating districtwide news. Participants in focus groups held by TSPR said they receive no districtwide news. Examples of public comments regarding this issue are:
"Parents don't get information. If we do, it's after the fact."
"Communication between the administration and parents is lacking."
"The bulletin goes to employees and staff of EPISD, not to parents. We need monthly general information about the district."
"We get things from the schools, but not the district."Several school districts publish semi-annual or monthly newsletters and mail to all addresses in the district, residential and business. Other districts have an insert in the local newspaper.
Spring ISD communicates to its constituents through a variety of print media. Spring Schools is published and distributed two to three times yearly to all addresses in the district. Spring ISD also mails a calendar of events to its parents at the beginning of the school year, which includes dates for board meetings and special events.
Bastrop ISD mails a monthly newsletter, The School Report, to all residents. Bastrop ISD publishes its annual report in a calendar format. Each page is divided into two parts; the top part is devoted to the annual report, and the bottom part is a calendar month. Activities of the district are listed on the calendar dates. One publication, serves two purposes, the annual report and parent notification of activity dates. This publication is mailed to all addresses.
Conroe ISD highlights the programs and people of the district in the Perspective. The 16-page newsletter is printed on newsprint and mailed to all addresses semi-annually. The superintendent provides pertinent staff information in a 1-page publication CISD Employee Update.
The Round Rock ISD has worked out an arrangement with the Austin American-Statesman to print a full-page newsletter on the first Friday of each month. The paper does not charge the district for the space, but rather sells ads at the bottom of the page to businesses that are located in or around the Round Rock ISD. These businesses have a vested interest in promoting a positive image for the district because their businesses benefit when the school district attracts new residents to Round Rock. Round Rock estimates that they reach 250,000 readers with each publication. In the past, they mailed newsletters to area residents three times a year at a cost of more than $10,000 per mailing. Today, the only cost is to provide reprints to send home with every elementary student and to distribute at all secondary campuses.
Recommendation 8:
Redirect the Eagle Times from an employee newsletter to a district newsletter, and place it as an insert in the local newspaper six times a year.
The district should continue to publish the newsletter including a report of board activities, a message from the superintendent and descriptions of EPISD programs and accomplishments. The school calendar, school menus and announcements of upcoming events should also be included. In addition to the current distribution the newsletter should be placed on the district's Web site, published in the local newspaper and the hand distributed copies should be printed in English and Spanish.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The executive director of Human Resources seeks approval from the school board to create a community newsletter insert to be published in the local newspaper. August 2001 2. The executive director of Human Resources contracts with the local newspaper to publish the Eagle Times newsletter six times a year.
August 2001 3. The executive director of Human Resources gathers information from the superintendent and principals and prepares news of board activities and other information of interest to community for an insert published in the local newspaper. September 2001 4. The executive director of Human Resources collaborates with the Technology Department to post the information on the EPISD Web site. September and Ongoing FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for continuing to publish the newsletter normally and placing it on the district's website can be accomplished with existing resources. The cost for publishing a half-page ad six times per year in the Eagle Pass News Guide is $1,038.
Recommendation 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Redirect the Eagle Times from an employee newsletter to a district newsletter, and place it as an insert in the local newspaper six times a year. ($1,038) ($1,038) ($1,038) ($1,038) ($1,038) FINDING
While EPISD has established a Web site, the district has not tapped into the full potential of the Web site.
The EPISD Web site currently includes an overview of district job postings, information on TAAS scores, a profile of each campus, names of district administration and board members, links to Eagle Pass High School - C. C. Winn Campus, Frank Chisum Regional Technical Center, the Gifted and Talented Department, the local board policy handbook, dates and agendas to board meetings and links to education resources
The Internet is a vehicle to provide information in a timely and cost effective manner to the staff and to community residents who have Internet access.
Santa Gertrudis ISD has implemented a variety of instructional technology initiatives that enable students to strengthen their computer skills. The school offers a Web Master course and the enrolled students are responsible for designing and maintaining the SGISD Web site One teacher places her notes for the next class day on the Internet to encourage students to become more familiar with the Internet.
Smithville ISD posts the summary of board actions taken at each meeting and other information pertinent to staff and the community such as the demographics of the school, school calendar and the history of Smithville. Alief ISD uses their Web site to distribute the district newsletter, The Communicator. The three divisions of AISD, instruction, business and human resources, each have extensive information for staff and the community posted. For example, in the instruction division, the special education department lists all services provided, information on Special Olympics, a teacher page, parent page and information on assistive technology. Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) can also be downloaded from the Web site.
Recommendation 9:
Expand the district's use of the Internet to provide useful information to schools, teachers, parents and the community.
The district should investigate using internal resources, such as students who are involved in technology and Web Master training, to assist them in further developing their Web site. Information on the Web site should include board information, school menus, school closing information, board meeting notices, board briefs and similar information.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The district Technology Coordinator identifies sources within the district, such as students, who can assist in the further development and maintenance of its district Web site. August 2001 2. The district Technology Coordinator solicits input from the coordinator of Staff/Development/Community Involvement for information to add to its Web site. August 2001 3. The Technology Coordinator, with student assistance, begins posting relevant information. September 2001 FISCAL IMPACT
There is no additional cost associated with implementing this recommendation.
FINDING
EPISD elementary parent/student handbooks, secondary student handbooks and teacher handbooks do not contain consistent information. Each school provides a wealth of information which varies by school. Some schools have parent/student handbooks with as few as 14 pages while others have as many as 65 pages. The district publishes the Code of Student Conduct in both English and Spanish in a separate booklet.
The same inconsistencies exist among the teacher handbooks. Some include school board policies related to personnel and sections from the Texas Education Code while others do not.
The EPISD print shop prints multiple copies of each school's handbooks and the Code of Student Conduct. Some of the handbooks are bound; others are in loose-leaf notebooks.
Elementary parent/student handbooks and secondary handbooks all have a section with information on district policies on attendance, promotion/retention, grading and homework, testing schedules and the school district calendar. The Code of Student Conduct is included in the elementary parent/student handbooks and the secondary student handbooks. By having the code included in the handbook, information needed by parents and students is covered in one booklet rather than in multiple publications.
Each school is allowed an additional section for information that is specific to that school. Having information that is applicable to all schools in each handbook eliminates confusion for parents who have children in more than one school. It also allows the print shop to be more effective when printing the handbooks.
The teacher handbooks published by each school vary by size and content. Some handbooks include personnel policies and sections from the Texas Education Code, others do not.
Recommendation 10:
Standardize elementary parent/student handbooks, secondary student handbooks, and teacher handbooks.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The executive director of Curriculum and Instruction appoints a handbook revision committee composed of elementary and secondary teachers, parents and administrators to review existing student and teacher handbooks and to determine items applicable to all schools. August 2001 2. The committee determines three lists for teacher handbooks; the items applicable for all schools, for only elementary schools and for high schools only. The committee applies the same process for the parent/student handbooks. September 2001 3. The committee submits the documents to the executive director of Curriculum and Instruction for review and approval. November 2001 4. The executive director of Curriculum and Instruction reviews and approves the document. December 2001 5. The executive director of Curriculum and Instruction establishes a timeline for principals to prepare information pertinent only to their school to be included with the standardized information. January 2002 6. The principals submit the handbooks to the district print shop and Webmaster. June 2002 7. Handbooks are available for the beginning of school. August 2002 FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation can be implemented with existing funds.